Christmas tree holder



Dec. 10, 1957 J. E. SCAN LAND 2,815,903

CHRISTMAS TREE HOLDER Filed Feb. 23, 1954 3i fizvenior Jos m E SCanlana lfl Monarch Machine 85 Stamping Company, Des Moines,

Iowa, a corporation of Iowa r Application February 23, 1954, Serial N 0. 411,694

6 Claims. (Cl. 24848) This invention relates to a Christmas tree holder of the type having a plurality of legs-diverging from a ring at the top andhaving a pan supported by the legs.

One object of the invention is to provide a comparatively simple device of this kind having but two main parts, a leg unit and a pan unit, a plurality of similar leg units being usedinthe tree holder assembly.

Another object is to provide a leg unit so designed that a number of them can be used and interfitted together so as to eliminate the necessity of a connecting ring at the top of the tree holder as is usually done, such as shown, for instance in my design Patent No. 168,379, issued December 9, 1952.

Still another object is to provide a leg unit which can be inexpensively stamped from sheet metal and which includes an elongated leg part and an arc-shaped part at its upper end, the arc-shaped part forming part of a complete ring when a plurality of the leg units are assembled together, one end of the arc-shaped unit being reduced so as to fit into the opposite end of the arc-shaped member of the next leg unit.

A further object is to provide the arc-shaped units designed to telescope together at their ends and to provide a set screw for the trunk of the tree passing through the telescoped parts toretain them assembled in ring formation and prevent relative vertical displacement ofone relative to the other after the set screws are inserted.

Still a further object is to provide a Christmas tree holder in which the upper ends of the legs can be placed to encircle the trunk of the tree above the branches at the lower end thereof if desired, thus eliminating the .necessity of having to out these branches off.

An additional object is to provide an assembly that includes a relatively large pan for water and/ or sand for tree watering and/ or ballast purposes.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my Christmas tree holder, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a Christmas tree holder embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a further enlarged sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper end of one of the leg units showing how it is reduced at one end to telescopically fit into the opposite end of the next adjacent leg unit.

On the accompanying drawing, I have used the ref erence character A to indicate in general a pan unit and the reference character B to indicate in general a leg unit. The pan unit A has an upper flange terminating in a cone-shaped flange 12.

Sttes Patent Patented Dec. 10, 1957 The leg unit B comprises a leg portion 14 and an areshaped portion 16. The latter portionis formed at the upper end of the leg portion 14 and a foot 18'-is formed at the lower end of the leg portion. The leg portion 14 is channel-shapedas shown in Fig. 3 so that it can be .made of relatively light sheet metal yet is reinforced for the desired strength. The foot portion 18 is depressed as at 20 and perforated as at 22 so that the feet of the Christmas tree holder can be. secured to a floor or mounting board with nails or screws if desired.

The arc-shaped portion 16 is channel-shaped in crosssection as shown in Fig. 4 with the inner flange of less height than the outer flange. At one of its ends it is reduced as at 24 and is of similar channel shape as shown in Fig. 4 so that the reduced end 24 of one are can be received in the opposite end .of the next adjacent arc as evident by an inspection of Figs. 1, 4 and 5.

The arc-shaped portion 16 is provided with an opening 26 large enough to freely receive a set screw 28 and the reduced portion 24 is provided with an embossed hub 30 which is tapped 'to receive the threaded portion of the set-screw 28 after it passes through the opening 26. The

'set screw thus holds the parts of the arcs 16, which are telescoped together, in assembled relation after the set screw is inserted and prevents vertical displacement of 16-relative to 24 so that all three arc-shaped portions 16 are held rigidly assembled into a circle as shown in Fig.- 1 when the Christmas tree holder-is in use.

The three legs 14 are then bolted as at 32 to the coneshap ed flange 12 of the pan unit A, each leg being perforated as at 34 and the pan flange 12 being perforated at three points (36) for this. purpose. The pan is also provided with aicentrally located spike 38 as shown in Fig. 2 to enter the lower end of the tree trunk and the setscrews 28, of course, are tightened around the trunk at the ring formed by the arc-shaped portions 16 and so adjusted that they tree stands vertical in the holder.

' My arrangement of parts eliminates the necessity of providing arring at the top of the legs, thus making the device simpler to manufacture and assemble, and secures the further desirable advantage of'permitting the upper ends of the legs to be positioned above any lower branches of the tree that would have to be cut off if a ring were used to hold the upper ends of thelegs together. At

thesame time, construction is simplified by having one end of each arc shaped element 16 telescop'ed into the next arc-shaped element and retained in the assembled position by the insertion of the set screws which thus perform a double function.

The arrangement disclosed furthermore provides for compact assembly of the parts for shipping as the three similar leg units can be nested together and in addition to the pan the only other parts needed are the three bolts 32 and the three set screws 28. This is also a convenience in storing the Christmas tree holder between the Christmas seasons.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my Christmas tree holder without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention. It is therefore my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may reasonably be included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a Christmas tree holder, a pan member and a plurality of similar, T-shaped leg members, each of said leg members comprising a leg portion terminating in a foot at its lower end and in an arc-shaped portion at its upper end, each of said arc-shaped portions being channelshaped, reduced at one end and interfitting telescopically into the opposite end of the next adjacent arc-shaped portion to provide a rigid circular self-supporting top for said holder, said telescoping portions being provided with aligned openings, set screws extending through said aligned openings for retaining said arc-shaped portions telescopically assembled, said set screws also engaging a tree trunk to center it in said circular top, and means securing said leg portions intermediate their ends to the rim of said pan member.

2. A Christmas tree holder comprising a pan member and a plurality of leg members, each of said leg members comprising a leg portion terminating in an arc-shaped portion transverse of its upper end, each of said arcshaped portions being reduced at one end and interfitting telescopically into the opposite end of the next adjacent arc-shaped portion, said telescoping portions being provided with aligned openings, set screws extending through said aligned openings for retaining said arc-shaped portions assembled into a ring and for engaging a tree trunk to mount the trunk relative to said holder and to place said ring under an enlarging stress to increase its rigidity, and means securing said leg portions to the rim of said pan member to prevent them from spreading apart when said Christmas tree holder is in use.

3. In a Christmas tree holder, a pan member and a plurality of T-shaped leg members, each of said leg members comprising a leg portion terminating in a foot at its lower end and in an integral arc-shaped portion at its upper end, each of said arc-shaped portions having an end interfitting with the opposite end of the next adjacent arc-shaped portion in such manner as to provide a rigid ring-shaped top for said holder, said interfitted portions being provided with pairs of matching openings, one of which is threaded, a tree trunk engaging screw extending through each of said pair of matched openings and threaded in said one opening for retaining said arcshaped portions assembled into said ring, and means connecting said pan member to said leg members for support thereby.

4. In a Christmas tree holder, a pan member and a plurality of identical leg members, each of said leg members comprising a leg portion terminating in a foot at its lower end and in an arcuate head portion at its upper end arranged transversely of said leg portion, each of said arcuate head portions being channel-shaped, reduced at one end and interfitting telescopically into the opposite end of the next adjacent arcuate head portion, said telescoping portions being provided with aligned openings, set screws extending through said aligned openings for retaining said arcuate head portions assembled into a ring, and means securing said leg portions intermediate their ends to the rim of said pan member, said channel-shaped arcuate head portions having one flange wider than the other, said openings extending through said wider flange at a position beyond the terminal edge of the narrower flange and one of said openings being threaded for the set screw.

5. A Christmas tree holder comprising a plurality of T-shaped leg members, each of said leg members comprising a leg portion terminating in a channel-shaped arcuate portion at its upper end, each of said arcuate portions being reduced at one end and interfitting with the opposite end of the next adjacent arcuate portion to form a rigid continuation thereof, said interfitted ends being provided with aligned openings, screws extending through said aligned openings for retaining said arcuate portions assembled into a ring, said channel-shaped arcuate portions having one flange wider than the other, said screws extending through the wider flanges and past the terminal edges of the narrower ones, and means spaced below said arcuate portions connecting said leg members together.

6. A holder of the character disclosed comprising a plurality of T-shaped sheet metal leg members, each of said leg members comprising a channel-shaped leg portion terminating in an arcuate head portion which is channelshaped in cross-section, each of said arcuate portions being reduced at one end and interfitting with the opposite end of the next adjacent arcuate portion to form a rigid ring-like member when said interfitting ends are connected together, said interfitting ends being provided with aligned openings, screws extending through said aligned openings for retaining said arcuate portions assembled into said rigid ring, said channel-shaped arcuate portions having one flange wider than the other and said screws extending through the wider flanges, and means spaced below said arcuate portions and constituting tie means connecting said leg members together against spreading apart when said holder supports an object.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 685,049 Kerr Oct. 22, 1901 1,445,625 Iunkuns Feb. 20, 1923 1,603,784 Lorentz Oct. 19, 1926 2,485,081 Ahrens Oct. 18, 1949 2,501,255 Bell Mar. 21, 1950 2,652,217 Schultz Sept. 15, 1953 

